


The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

by polverine



Series: Sirivember [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Sirivember | Sirius Black November 2020, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27450922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polverine/pseuds/polverine
Summary: Week Two of Sirivember - FamilySeven one shots of Sirius with different family members. A mix of before Azkaban, after Azkaban, and AU.
Relationships: Alphard Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Sirius Black & Andromeda Black Tonks, Sirius Black & Narcissa Black Malfoy, Sirius Black & Nymphadora Tonks
Series: Sirivember [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997017
Comments: 20
Kudos: 22





	1. Andromeda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Azkaban

Sirius stepped out of the fire in Andromeda’s living room and dusted the soot from his clothes. It was exactly as it had been the last time he’d been here. The furniture just as shabby and the room just a small. It was tidier, Andromeda seemed to have gone round and put away Dora’s toys.

“Sirius!” She beamed, jumping up from the sofa. Sirius strode into her arms. He didn’t get to see her enough, it had been difficult after she’d been disowned, but he should have tried harder. “How are you taller than me now? I don’t like this at all.” Andromeda laughed, and Sirius ran his hand through his hair.

“Sorry.” He grinned.

“Sit down, I’ll make us some tea.” She said, disappearing into the kitchen. Sirius dropped down onto the sofa and looked around.

“No Dora?” He called out.

“Ted has taken her visit his parents!” She called back. Sirius deflated a little bit, he’d been looking forward to seeing her.Andromeda returned and set their mugs down on the coffee table.

“Thanks.” He said.

“How are you? You said in your letter that you’d run away from home? Where are you staying?” She asked all this very quickly. She was agitated, more agitated that Sirius and seen her in a long time.

“I’m staying with Potters.” He explained, wanting to alleviate any worry she might have that he was sleeping rough or anything so miserable. He didn’t want to admit how worried he was that they were going to get sick of him, kick him out.

“What happened?” Andromeda asked, and then glanced at the mugs on the table. “Do you want something stronger?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Sirius grinned. He’d run away from home, he wanted a real drink.

“Good man.” She laughed, getting up and fetching a bottle of Firewhisky and two glasses from the corner unit. Andromeda poured them each a decent measure and sat back down.

“You’re such a bad influence.” Sirius said.

“I’m an excellent influence.” Andromeda laughed. Sirius raised his eyebrows, he wondered how quickly she’d say that when Dora got a little older and he started providing her with Firewhisky. 

“I’d just had enough. She’d blasted me against that hideous side table in the hall and I cut my head open… it’s not like they haven’t done worse, but I’d just had enough. It was one thing too many, I guess.” He muttered. He’d put up with too much for too long.

“She’s such a bitch.” Andromeda hissed, reaching over to run her fingers over the back of his head, as though checking for the damage. “You did a great job at healing it.”

“That was Mrs Potter.” Sirius said. “I went straight there.”

“You could have come here, you know… Did you think I’d turn you away?” She asked quietly.

“No, I didn’t. But I didn’t want to impose on you. You have three people sharing a tiny two bedroom house, I didn’t want to add a fourth.” Sirius explained. He knew she’d have made it work, but he didn’t want her to have to. 

“You worry about me too much.” Andromeda smiled. Sirius shrugged, of course he worried about her, she was one of the only decent family members he had.

“It’s a relief to be away from them.” He admitted. “I’m terrified that she’s going to drag me back, of course, but it’s just such a relief. I never want to go back to that awful place.”

“I know what you mean. It was terrifying when I ran away from home, I jumped at every little noise, I expected to see Mum, or Bella walking up the garden path at any moment.” Andromeda said. Sirius was sure that it have been a thousand times more frightening for her. She’d been pregnant, and his aunt would have done anything she could to stop Dora from even existing. “But then me and Ted settled into our lives and it was just so wonderful.”

Sirius couldn’t see his life going quite as well as hers had. There was a war going on and he intended to fight in it. Even if he survived, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea for him to become a father. He didn’t know how to be a decent parent. And it would better for everyone if he didn’t add to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.


	2. Alphard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Azkaban

Alphard and Barney’s apartment was like a little winter wonderland. It was so highly decorated for Christmas that it was like Christmas at Hogwarts condensed into one apartment. A large fir tree was decorated in tinsel and baubles of brilliant colours, icicles hung from the bannister, little lights hovered over their heads and warm, dry snow fell from the ceiling, disappearing before it reached the floor. Their house-elf Roo was wearing a Father Christmas hat, and Sirius wondered whether or not that counted as clothes, or if Roo wasn’t fussed about that sort of thing. He highly doubted his uncle would care if his house elf wanted to wear a hat.

“It’s snowing indoors like it does at school.” Marlene grinned, spinning around, arms out. “They _have_ to teach me this spell.”

“ _I_ can teach you this spell.” Sirius said.

“It’s snow, if you knew this spell you’d have used it to seduce me by now.” Marlene smirked. Sirius grabbed hold of her hips and pulled her closer for a kiss.

“Hello there.” Alphard said appearing on the stairs, and Marlene quickly pulled away, turning slightly pink. “No, don’t let me interrupt. You must be Marlene McKinnon? My nephew hasn’t stopped talking about you since… well, I’d say since first year. He’s quite smitten.”

“Really?” Marlene grinned, looking at Sirius. It was his turn to go red.

“Alphie.” He muttered. “Andromeda and Ted not here yet?” He asked, wanting to change the subject.

“No, they’re going to be a bit late. Barney!” He called. Barney Abbott entered through the door Sirius knew led to the kitchen. “Marlene, this is my partner Barney.” He said.

“Lovely to meet you.” Barney said, shaking her hand. “Sirius has told us so much about—”

“Yeah, we’ve already done that bit.” Sirius said quickly, cutting him off. “Barney used to play Quidditch for England.” Marlene’s eyes lit up, he thought that might have distracted her.

“You’re Barney Abbott!” She said excitedly. “I thought I recognised you, I used to have your poster on my wall.” She admitted, before turning pink again.

“I’m sure he looked quite a bit younger.” Alphard teased.

“Marlene is excellent at Quidditch.” Sirius said.

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that few times.” Alphard laughed. “Barney has turned the guest bedroom into a little Quidditch museum.” He added, rolling his eyes. “Barney, darling, why don’t you show her.” Alphard descended the rest of the stairs, moving aside for them to pass.

Alphard gestured to the sofa and they sat as Roo came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of champagne. Sirius took a glass and murmured his thanks.

“Thank you, Roo, Barney and Marlene are just up stairs.” Alphard took a sip and set the glass on the table, before turning his attention back to Sirius. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.” Sirius said, it was mostly true. He was still racked with guilt over what he’d done to James and Remus, but they’d forgiven him.

“And you’re happy at the Potters? They’re treating you well?” Alphard asked.

“The Potters are great, so wonderful.” Sirius said. He didn’t deserve them, or their generosity. They’d welcomed him with open arms, made him feel so at home, and so loved. He could hardly believe his luck.

“I’m so sorry, I should have taken you from Wally and Orion years ago.” Alphard murmured, squeezing his hand.

“It’s alright. It doesn’t matter—”

“Yes it does. You’re my family and I failed you.” Alphard said quickly. “If you ever want to leave the Potters, you’re welcome to live here.”

“You’d have to clear out Barney’s Quidditch museum.” Sirius grinned.

“Oh what a tragedy.” Alphard deadpanned. “I mean it, my door is always open.”

“Mother-dearest will blast you off the tree if you took me in. You’ll be disowned as well.” Sirius warned. Walburga was getting pretty good at blasting that tapestry now.

“You’re more important.” Alphard said seriously.


	3. Regulus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Azkaban

Sirius had lost track of James in the chaos. He needed to find him but Death Eaters had chased him down into the underground River Fleet — Regulus among them. He was firing Stunning spells over his shoulder, he didn’t want to hurt him, not really. He turned left but was met with a dead end. Sirius slapped his hand against the cold bricks, before spinning around face his fate.

There was just the one Death Eater now. He swiped his wand through the air, pulling away the mask. It was Regulus, his face dimly lit by the light from the busy street above. And he looked so young.

“Hello Reggie.” He said quietly, blocking the spells his brother began to fire at him.

“I thought only cowards ran away.” Regulus said. Sirius aimed a jet of boiling water at his brother’s arm but he dodged. “ _Crucio!_ ”

Sirius braced himself but the pain was just a dull ache. Sirius laughed. “Has Bella taught you nothing, Reggie? You have to _mean_ it.” Somewhere, deep down, Regulus didn’t really want to hurt him. He had to hold onto that, that was the part he had to try and get through to.

“I don’t understand you, Sirius.” Regulus snarled. “You’re a _pureblood_. Why are you fighting? You don’t even have to be a Death Eater, but why are fighting for Muggles and Mudbloods?”

“Don’t use that word.” Sirius snapped, how had he completely failed to learn any sort of basic human decency? “You’re just wrong. Your cause is _monstrous._ That’s why I’m fighting you. You’re just _wrong_. Youmust _know that_.”

“The Dark Lord is going to put us in our rightful place!” Regulus shrieked. Sirius shook his head.

“You’re not better than anyone else, and no matter what Walburga and Orion told you, being a Black doesn’t make us some sort of royalty. At best it makes us pretty and smart — though not really in your case—” for a moment he thought Regulus’s lip might have twitched a little. “and susceptible to moments of madness or fits of depression.” 

“Muggles should be serving us, we have _magic_!” Regulus insisted.

“And they have science that we have no understanding of. We’re not better than them. You can’t be this stupid, Reggie.”

“Stop calling me Reggie. We’re not brothers anymore, you _left._ ” Regulus hissed. Sirius felt his eyes burn. He hadn’t left Reggie. He had _tried_ , Reggie had left _him_. 

He hadn’t tried hard enough.

“Come with me. We’ll find James, get out of here. I’ll take you home. I can protect you.” Sirius promised.

“Potter is dead. I killed him.” Regulus snapped. Sirius felt the floor fall away from beneath his feet. James _couldn’t_ be dead. He wouldn’t allow it. A world without James Potter was unimaginable.

“You’re lying. You’re not a killer.” Sirius said, shaking his head.

“You don’t _know_ who I am.” Regulus said. He grabbed his arm for a moment as though in pain before disapparating.

“Wait!” He shouted, but Regulus was gone.

 _James._ He needed to find James.


	4. Narcissa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Azkaban

_Dear Sirius,_

_I know that we haven’t spoken in a long time. I’m sure you must think the worst of me, and I don’t think too fondly of you either. However, there was a time when we used to be close, and I want you to hold onto that for a moment. I’m writing to tell you that Regulus has died. I was with your parents yesterday and they said that they had no intention of letting you know. It didn’t sit right with me. Regardless of what went on between us all, he was still your brother, and I know that you once loved each other. Keeping this from you would be unconscionable._

_I don’t know the details of how it happened, but I do know that he was having second thoughts about what he was being asked to do. I suspect he was killed by other Death Eaters._

_I am so very sorry, Sirius. Please don’t write back. We’ve each gone too far down our roads, I don’t think there’s any turning around now._

_Your cousin,_

_Cissy_

Sirius stared at the parchment. Reggie was dead. He had never expected to hear from Narcissa again. He wondered if Lucius knew she had sent him this letter. He doubted it.

Reggie was dead. He didn’t realise that he was crying until the tear hit the parchment. He shouldn’t be crying over the demise of a Death Eater… But he had been his little brother, and Narcissa was right, they had once loved each other.

And he had been having second thoughts about what he was being asked to do.

“Sirius, what’s the matter?” Marlene asked, sitting down beside him.

“Regulus is dead.” He murmured.


	5. Nymphadora

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Azkaban

Sirius watched as the other Order members slowly took their leave, some seemed to shoot him sympathetic looks before they climbed the stairs out of the kitchen. He wished Remus would hurry up and get back, but he wasn’t naive enough to expect him for days at the very least. The high from his venture outdoors to accompany Harry to King’s Cross had long since worn off. He was back to sulking now. He just wished he wasn’t alone here all the time, with little to do but wallow in memories of the life he’d almost had.

As he reached for his goblet he noticed Tonks hovering by the kitchen door, chewing on her thumb nail in a way that reminded him unmistakably of Andromeda. “The last time your mother looked that distracted, she told me she was pregnant.” He murmured. Tonks jumped, he wasn’t even sure that she had realised he was still there. Where else would he have been? “Some happy news to share?” He asked dryly.

“What? No.” Tonks said, shaking her head quickly. He raised his eyebrows when she crossed to the kitchen table and poured wine into a goblet, draining it as though to prove it.

“I believe you, but being pregnant didn’t stop your mother.” He grinned.

“Wait, Mum drank when she was pregnant with me?” Tonks asked.

“I saw her have a couple of swings of Firewhisky after she’d found out, but I wouldn’t hold it against her, she was eighteen and fucking terrified.” Sirius said.

“I’m not pregnant.” Tonks said, dropping down into the chair opposite him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, after she was quiet for a while. Tonks gave him a skeptical look. Sure part of him was desperate for conversation with anyone but Kreacher, but he did _actually_ care. He’d missed most of her life, but she was his family, he loved her.

“This is going to sound so pathetic.” Tonks groaned, leaning forward and rubbing her fingers over her forehead. She hesitated for a moment before quietly muttering “I _fancy_ Remus.”

Sirius snorted. That he hadn’t expected. “ _Why_?” He laughed. Tonks seemed to look around for something to throw at him but came up empty — apparently deciding her goblet was going a bit too far.

“Don’t be mean.” She snapped.

“Look, I think Moony is great. He’s my best friend but—”

“But nothing. He’s kind, and smart, and funny, and handsome—”

“ _Well…_ ” Sirius trailed off. “I suppose he’s alright, if you like that tired, shabby, broken sort of look.”

“You’re one to talk.” She muttered, and his face fell. How he looked wasn’t his fault. Azkaban had done that. It wasn’t Remus’s fault either of course, he’d never known him not looking tired and a little ill. “None of this matters, I might not be the best at flirting but he can’t be _that_ oblivious. I don’t think he’s interested.”

Sirius drained his goblet, not sure what to say. It felt strange to be talking about something so _normal_. “He’s an idiot if he doesn’t feel the same.” He said, that felt like a supportive thing to say.

“Thanks.” Tonks said with a small smile.


	6. Minerva

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU

Sirius found Minerva in the drawing room, she was staring up at the tapestry, with her back to him. Her dark hair was coming out of the braid he’d put it in that morning, he should redo it but she looked so adorable.

“What are you looking at, pumpkin?” He asked, moving to stand beside her. Her face was scrunched up in a little frown of concentration.

“My name isn’t on here. M-I-N-E-R-V-A.” Minerva said. Sirius grinned, his five year old was so advanced. Well, he didn’t _know_ if that was advanced or not. But he liked to think that she was advanced.

“No, you’re not. You’re not on here, because I’m not on here.” He pointed to the burn mark where his name used to be. “I used to be here.” Minerva knelt up on the sofa beneath the family tree and ran her little fingers over the scorched fabric.

“Why aren’t you on here?” Minerva asked. Sirius sighed. When she was a baby he’d talked things over with her a lot, sure that she wouldn’t remember any of it. He should have expected that she’d have questions. They had come even earlier about the screaming portrait in the hallway that meant that she always had to be quiet when crossing it. He sat down beside her. She swivelled round slightly to face him but her eyes were still feasting on the names still embroidered on the wall, wanting to put a story to them.

“When I grew up in this house it wasn’t very nice.” Sirius said, it still wasn’t the nicest of places but it was a damn sight better than it had been. And it was Minerva’s home, she loved it, despite its… _eccentricities_. “My mum and dad—” He pointed to their names.

“Wal…Wal…” Minerva tried, though she couldn’t seem to figure out how to pronounce it.

“Walburga and Orion.” Sirius said, helping her out. “Were bad people, they were cruel… especially to me.”

“Why?” Minerva frowned. “They were your mummy and daddy!” She sounded so outraged that his heart burst with love for her. The truth was, he didn’t know how they could have treated him the way they had. He had Minerva now, and the idea of ever being that cruel to her was unthinkable.

“I don’t know, but they didn’t love me.” Sirius murmured, tucking some of her escaped hair behind her ear. “When I was sixteen I ran away from home and my mother—” He didn’t like referring to her as Minerva’s grandmother. “—blasted me off.”

“I can write your name back on. I know how to spell it.” Minerva said. “S-I-R-U-S.”

“Almost.” Sirius laughed. “S-I-R-I-U-S. I don’t want to be on there. I’m not the only one. Look, that used to be where your Aunt Dromeda’s name was.” He said, pointing to the burn mark that used to be Andromeda. “The people that aren’t on here are the good ones.”

“Does that mean that I’m a good one?” Minerva asked.

“You’re the best one.” He grinned, pulling her onto his lap and kissing her cheek.


	7. Cassandra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU

Sirius was woken by the sound of Cassie’s cries. She cried more than Minerva had as a baby. They’d worried at first that there was something was wrong with her, but it was quickly pointed out to them that she didn't cry any more than the average baby, they had gotten extremely lucky with Minerva.

“I’ll go.” He said, leaning over and kissing Marlene’s cheek in the darkness. They always had a few minutes before Cassie got loud enough to set the portrait off. They needed to figure out how to get that fucking thing off the wall. He bolted down the stairs to the nursery, also not wanting her to wake her sister. Minerva was as grumpy as her mother if she didn’t get enough sleep.

“Shh. It’s alright, Daddy’s here.” Sirius soothed, picking up his daughter. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?” He asked, carrying her down the stairs towards the kitchen. Kreacher was already standing in front of the portrait, ready to close the curtains if they flew open. The house elf had gone off her quite a bit since she’d started screaming abuse at his precious little Black girls. Sirius never thought he’d have seen the day.  
  
He heated up the bottle of breastmilk, checked it wasn’t too hot, before sitting down in the rocking chair, lighting a fire with a flick of his wand. Cassie turned her face defiantly away from the bottle and Sirius sighed. “Come on, I don’t want to wake your mummy up again, she’s so tired.”

Cassie accepted the bottle but kicked out one of her legs, as though demonstrating that she wasn’t happy about it. “You have the longest legs I’ve ever seen on a baby.” Really, she was mostly leg. “You’re going to be tall like your mummy. I’m tall too — slightly taller than her — but I think your mummy’s legs are actually longer than mine. MJ’s legs weren’t this long.” He murmured. Cassie looked so much like Marlene. He’d seen photos of her as a baby, and they were almost identical.

He’d been worried when Marlene had told him that she was pregnant again, they’d talked about having a second child, and they hadn’t actively been trying _not_ to have one. But he was worried, he loved Minerva so completely, he didn’t know how he was supposed to find room in his heart for another child. But he’d been relieved to discover that it didn’t work like that. He set the bottle aside and lifted her to his shoulder, rubbing her back soothingly.

His daughters had turned him soft, but he didn’t care. It was worth it.

Movement in the doorway caught his eye and he turned his head. “MJ, why aren’t you in bed?” He asked.

“Please can I have a hot chocolate?” She asked, hurrying over to him now that she’d been caught.

“You can go to bed.” Sirius murmured, trying not to look at her. He knew that she’d be pulling that cute little face that made it hard to say no.

“Please Daddy.” Minerva said, and Sirius broke like he always did. Marlene accused him of spoiling them, and she was right.

“Fine, alright.” He muttered, standing up. “Sit here and hold your sister while I make it.” He said, putting a cushion under her elbow when she’d taken his seat. He gently settled Cassie in her arms and busied himself making drinks for them both. His eyes drifted back to them when Minerva started to sing a little lullaby. He could hardly believe that he’d gotten so lucky.

Sirius had been adamant that he would never add to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, but he was so glad that he had. His daughters would be better than those who had come before them.


End file.
